This patent is directed to a casino gaming apparatus, which could be either an individual gaming unit or a casino gaming system having a plurality of gaming units, that is capable of providing a player viewing capability and control over a game initiated by the player at a different location.
Conventional gaming units often allowed a player to wager on, control and view the game initiated at that particular gaming unit. Gaines initiated at another location were not displayed on the gaming unit or otherwise allowed the player control over the remote game via the gaming unit. That is, a player could not wager on a game at a first location and view the progress of that game or make further wagers on that game at a gaming unit at another location. For example, a player who wagers on a conventional multi-player lottery game fills out a card, wagers on chosen numbers and watches a large, public keno display screen to view the progress of the keno game, such as what numbers have or have not been randomly selected. The player must either stay and watch the keno display screen, or return to the keno display screen periodically to check the status of the game (e.g., to see if his numbers were chosen). If the player wants to begin gaming at a gaming unit, which may be at a different location and out of sight of the keno display screen, he is unable to view the progress of the keno game or make a further wager on the keno game without leaving the gaming unit to return to the keno display screen. Sports gaming (e.g., placing a wager on the outcome of a horse race, baseball game, etc.) can result in similar occurrences. Such public display screens were also not personalized to a particular player's gaming decisions and whether the player's gaming decisions coincided with the outcome of the game.
Some conventional gaming units allowed the player to control the gaming unit remotely using a remote control device similar to those used to control televisions. Other conventional gaming units allowed a player to control gaming from a remote location by using video cameras to transmit a picture of the game (e.g., a roulette table, a slot machine, etc.) to the player's location (e.g., a hotel room). The player could then place wagers by placing a phone call to someone at the location of the gaming unit who would place a wager on behalf of the player.